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Historical Ashigaru (OOC)

The Japanese ashigaru were conscripted foot-soldiers of medieval Japan. During the Muromachi period, ashigaru were employed by the shogun as his personal army. Ashigaru (literally "light-foot", but the word most likely stems from "light armored") were the lowest-class warriors, either the low-class buke (warrior class) or commoners who had joined or been impressed to the daimyo's army. Those who were given control of ashigaru were called ashigarugashira, (literally "ashigaru head"), The ashigaru were foot soldiers—the cavalry was the territory of the samurai. They might have been armed with naginata, katana or just with spears (yari) unless they served as handlers of catapults. In the 1500s, they were also armed with arquebuses. As battles became more complex and forces larger, ashigaru were rigorously trained so that they would hold their ranks in the face of enemy fire. Their armour consisted of conical hats (jingasa) made of lacquered hardened leather, breastplates and occasionally greaves protecting the legs. Some also donned small banners on their back during battle for identification purposes, called sashimono.